AFCON 2025
English winger of Nigerian descent, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, had an outstanding performance as Aston Villa clinched their fifth Youth FA Cup title on Monday. The young Villains sealed the title with an impressive 3-1 win over Manchester City in front of their home fans at Villa Park. Jimoh-Aloba scored and got involved in another as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Manchester City 3-1.
Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba scored the last goal of the match before he left the pitch in the 80th minute for the introduction of 17-year-old defender Ashton McWilliams. Jimoh-Aloba’s performance in the final adds to his growing popularity in the youth ranks of the club, and he is in a position to get yet another invite to the first team.
This post examines three things you should know about Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, the 18-year-old Aston Villa player.
1. Nigerian Descent
Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, no prize for guessing right, is an English player of Nigerian descent. The 18-year-old was born to Nigerian parents in Birmingham on 2 October 2006. Jimoh-Aloba has represented the youth teams of England, but he has not decided on his future – whether he will play for the Super Eagles or the Three Lions.
2. An attacking midfielder
What position does Jimoh-Aloba play? Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba is an attacking midfielder with great vision, positional awareness, and good ball retention. Jimoh-Aloba also offers support at both ends of the penalty boxes. Aston Villa’s Academy Manager Mark Harrison said: “Jamaldeen is a good ball manager who can be effective in and around both penalty boxes. We are delighted Jamal has joined us, as there was a lot of competition for his signature.”
3. How much did Aston Villa sign Jimoh-Aloba
Jimoh-Aloba joined Aston Villa for a fee of around £1 from West Bromwich Albion’s youth team in August 2023, despite interest from some top teams in the league. The 18-year-old signed his professional contract on 10 October 2023. Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba made his senior debut on 24 September 2024 away at Wycombe Wanderers in an EFL Cup 2-1 win. Jimoh-Aloba 18-year-old midfielder, has 10 goals and four assists for the youth team this season.
